Winemaker Notes
From high altitude, warm vineyards in Utiel-Requena, 100 kilometers west of Valencia on a very high plateau.
The Bobal varietal is quite rigorous and very productive. With dark, thick skins, it is quite interesting, producing a wine that is very dark (sometimes appearing black) with aromas of chocolate, cocoa, and sometimes blood. This was hand-harvested, fermented and aged in French oak.
Many of the old vines of Bobal are unfortunately being ripped out in the area and replaced by more popular varietals such as Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Mustiguillo's mission is to protect this indigenous varietal and nurture it into what has become, according to many experts, one of Spain's most fascinating wines.
A relatively new winery, Mustiguillo was created to give a place and prominence to the unheralded varietal Bobal. The owners believe strongly that this grape, when cropped low and harvested later, can produce wines that rival some of the greatest wines of Northern Spain. As such, many of the old vines of the property have been kept (some as old as 90 years old) and new vines of Bobal have been planted as well.
Utiel-Requena lies on a warm, arid plateau at an average of 700 meters above sea level. Mustiguillo owns four distinct parcels scattered throughout the zone including two over 800 meters. Soil structure is quite poor, with low amounts of organic material. Gravel, some clay, and smaller amounts of limestone make up the bulk of the vineyards. Rainfall is lower than the Spanish average and this shortage is thought to contribute to the excellent fruit concentration of these vines.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.